Norway joins EU’s new defence industry programme

Norway will participate in the European Union’s new defence industry programme (EDIP) after the government allocated funding in its revised national budget, the Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik (Labour Party) called the move an important step in strengthening Ukraine’s access to critical defence equipment. “This is the first time the government has allocated funds for Norway’s participation in EDIP,” Sandvik said in a statement.

The revised budget sets aside €29 million (approximately NOK 315 million) for Norway’s membership fee in the programme from 2026 to 2028, drawn from the Nansen Programme. Participation will allow Norwegian defence companies to compete for funding under EDIP, which was approved for implementation last autumn and consolidates the EU’s defence industry efforts.